(Chapter 4)
Elizabeth was finally finished with the preparations for the charity show, calling her assistant to set a few vendors up for interviews as she settled in for the evening on the sofa. Satchmo sat in his corner, on the doggy cushion Peter had bought him, chewing on a rubber bone happily. It was a shame her husband had to work late, her eyes looking up to see the time was after 6 PM. El wasn't very hungry, snacking on some fruit and cottage cheese as she watched an old movie on TV and tried to relax. They had been worrying about Neal Caffrey for the past few months but Kramer or someone high up was making sure they could do nothing to help. Peter was frustrated about the whole situation trying to find out on his own who or what was being held over their friend. There was more to Neal's leaving than meets the eye.
Her eyes drooped, head leaning heavily against the cushions as she started to fall asleep. She'd forgotten about the movie, body relaxing when a soft buzzing woke her up. El wiped at her eyes glancing over at her cell on the coffee table. A yawn left her lips as she covered her mouth, sat up and grabbed the device, pushing it to her ear.
"Hello?"
Elizabeth listened for only a minute before she was wide awake and standing up.
"When... when did this... this happen?"
Her voice quavered slightly but she was holding her own trying not to panic in the quiet of their home. Her head nodded ever so slightly as she replied.
"I'll be right there. No I don't need an escort. Thank you Diana."
Elizabeth hung up the cell and dropped it beside her as she sat back down on the sofa. For an instant it felt as if her whole world might collapsed. The agent had said her husband had been critically injured on the job. All the worse case scenarios filled her mind but then she saw an image of Neal. He had always been there at her husband's side, having his back as Peter called it but now... now he was gone and the slight smile she had returned to a deep frown. Neal could be trusted when it counted. She meant that, and so had Peter, meaning that had been truth but if Neal wasn't there, he couldn't take care of the agent. There was no backup anymore. El didn't hesitate to get her purse, pull on her shoes and grab her coat as she headed out of the house towards the hospital. It was almost second nature for her as she dialed another number, long disused and hoped it worked.
"The number you have dialed no longer submits to the man, not even his lovely wife. Please don't hesitate to hang up and not leave a message. Thank you."
It was Mozzie's voice, sounding so defiant as she remembered their old chats fondly. Once Neal had been sent away, Mozzie had blamed them for what happened and disappeared. June said she had heard from him off and on but he was a ghost if anything. El didn't know what to say as a beep ensued and she finally spoke.
"Mozz... I... Peter is hurt. He's been shot."
She paused a moment to control her emotions, tears rolling down her cheeks as she tried to hold on. She pulled over a moment to finish the message, uncertain she could drive, be upset and talk all at once.
"I... I want to contact Neal. He needs to know. Please, call me back."
She hung up the call, leaning over the steering wheel and finally letting herself cry. El would have called Neal himself in D.C. if she could but it had been months since the one number they had been given was active. Either Neal had disconnected it or more likely Kramer had. Her thoughts went back to her husband. Diana had not sounded hopeful over the cell so she wasn't certain what she might find at the hospital. It was only a few minutes before she was able to stop herself, wiping quickly at her eyes as she pulled back into traffic and again headed for the hospital. Elizabeth parked near the ER, exiting the vehicle when she felt a buzz from her jacket pocket. It was her cell, her eyes looking to see who was calling.
Here is what you seek. Use it wisely.
El blinked down at the message seeing a number and then another message popped up.
Sorry about Peter...
She smiled at the con's use of her husband's name. He obviously cared despite his distrust of people in general. They had become his family too and it had hurt when he left because of Neal but she understood why. How he had gotten this number meant nothing to her but that Mozzie had it. She wondered now if the two cons chatted often. There was an almost jealous feeling there but she pushed the emotion aside to worry about the here and now.
Elizabeth hung up the phone and hurried into the ER to a nurses' station but was stopped as a hand gently grasped her arm and stopped her. It was Jones.
"Elizabeth..."
He looked upset for reasons other than just Peter's shooting, a pleading look on the agent's face as she hugged him and he hugged her gently back. There was tension there as they pulled apart and she saw the redness around his eyes as if he might have been crying.
"Clinton... what happened? Diana told me only that Peter... that my husband was shot."
She was feeling herself giving in to her emotions but tried to hold them back as she waited for his reply. Jones looked more devastated than she felt and she knew it was important whatever he was feeling.
"Elizabeth... He pushed me out of the way. I'm so sorry."
The agent was near tears, apologizing for being ok but now she understood his manner more clearly and a kind of relief fell over her. Peter had saved Jones and been hurt. I made sense knowing her husband would put himself in danger for someone else. It didn't make her feel any better but it helped to know why. She hugged the agent, moving them to a seat as they spoke quietly before being interrupted by Hughes and Diana.
"Elizabeth... can I speak with you a moment?"
Reese sounded serious, Diana taking over where she had been comforting Jones as El stood and moved to a quieter section of the ER. His manner was softer than normal, his hands holding one of hers gently between them.
"Peter's in critical condition. They just took him into surgery a few minutes ago. The bullet nicked an artery. He lost a lot of blood..."
Reese's expression was sad, his hand still holding hers between his as he hesitated to say more. She nodded at him, voice quavering as she tried to answer.
"Reese... he's going to be ok?"
The agent gave her an uncertain look which made her start to cry again. It was silent, tears rolling down her cheeks but suddenly Reese was holding her and she just let him as her emotions gave way. She couldn't lose Peter...
()()()
Hours went by like days it seemed and finally someone came out of the ER and looked around. Elizabeth was curled up on a wide seat, arms under her head as she stared blankly into space. Jones had remained despite being told to go home and Diana had as well, Reese having left to take care of business dealing with the case involved. He had promised to be back but that had been eons ago it seemed as the doctor's voice rang out.
"Family of Peter Burke?"
Elizabeth perked up, looking at the man curiously before she saw that Diana and Jones were also sitting up at attention. The doctor spoke again to the nearly empty room.
"Family of Peter Burke?"
El had heard it again, standing up with a slight wince, body sore from the uncomfortable position but she nodded at the doctor as she approached him. He gazed at her with hazel brown eyes that reminded her of her husband if only because they were brown.
"I'm his wife... how is he?"
She was afraid to find out anything and yet she had to know how her husband was as she felt a hand on her right shoulder and another on her left. Diana and Jones were with her for support, some relief at not having to be alone making the situation easier to handle for the moment. The doctor nodded back, a faint smile on their lips but it was little comfort.
"I'm Dr. Sanji. I helped work on your husband. We managed to stop the bleeding. Your husband lost several pints of blood so we have him currently getting transfusions."
The man was not far from Peter's age only his hair was a blondish brown so unlike her husband's hair and his features were softer. Her mind kept trying to compare him to her husband for some odd reason as she listened to him speak.
"The bullet also nicked part of his left lung which collapsed. We have fixed that as well. It was very close but he's not out of the woods yet I'm afraid. His heart stopped several times as did his breathing but he's currently stable. He's in a coma so until he wakes up we will keep him in ICU. Once he's settled, you can visit him."
Elizabeth took everything the man said in despite her mind trying to comprehend all the injuries and implications. She thanked him as the two agents did the same and led her gently back towards the seats to sit down. Everyone was quiet for a bit, the news sinking in between the three before a nurse walked by and approached them.
"Mrs. Burke?"
She glanced up from her seat and nodded with bleary, teary eyes and nodded. The nurse gave a sympathetic smile as she pointed down the hallway.
"I'm here to take you to your husband."
El nodded, Diana and Jones standing up to accompany her as the nurse pursed her lips at them with a curious look.
"I... we're only allowing family at this time. You can follow but I'm afraid you have to stay outside for now."
Elizabeth looked at the two agents sadly, glancing back at the nurse as they stood and started towards the ICU area.
"They work with my husband closely. When can they visit?"
She refused to keep Diana and Jones away from Peter seeing how close they were to her husband. The nurse gave a sad shrug, genuinely sympathetic towards their plight.
"Hospital rules. Once he's out of critical condition and in a regular room, rules may be lifted. I'm sorry."
Diana and Jones didn't seem upset, offering to stay outside until her visit was over. Elizabeth felt badly for them but her main concern was seeing Peter. They took the elevator up to the ICU, both agents outside while El went inside a small glass room with the nurse.
"I'm sorry to ask this, but please be brief. He's not supposed to have visitors yet at such an early stage but Dr. Sanji made an exception since you were his wife. My sympathies..."
The nurse sounded genuinely unhappy about her announcement as Elizabeth gave a quick nod back then stood quietly by her husband's bedside. Peter was swallowed up in an array of breathing tubes, IVs and other monitors keeping track of his vitals. His face was pale, a slight bruising around his chest where he had been hit, his skin in general pale as she glanced down at his bandaged body. Her hand gently took his and clasped it hoping for some reaction back. Peter's skin was cooler than she remembered, softly calloused fingers loose in her grip as she prayed he might respond back but didn't.
"Hun... Jones... Jones told me what happened. I'm proud... of what you did. You saved someone's life."
She felt her eyes growing warm and wet but she didn't want to cry, not yet but her body trembled as emotion took over.
"He's hurting, Peter. I told him it wasn't his fault. Everyone... they miss you hun. I miss you. Please wake up soon, Hun."
El moved what she could aside and gently kissed him on the forehead, the breathing tube preventing her from kissing him on the lips as she had hoped to. Would sleeping beauty have waken if her prince charming had been kept from giving true love's kiss by a breathing tube? The thought filled her head as she watched her husband laying there as if in a deep sleep. She started to cry again, everything hitting her hard as she turned and finally left the room. Diana stood up and gently held her as she exited, Jones beside them as they all paused to take one last look towards the man that kept them all together. The nurse from before walked back towards them, a sad look on her face.
"Dr. Sanji said he would call you if there are any changes."
Everyone nodded but El continued to stare at the glass room and her husband within. The two agents weren't sure what to do, both offering to stay with her but she refused, telling them Peter would want them to go home and rest. She was going to go home, get some things and come back and wait. Reluctantly both agents agreed with her suggestion as everyone separated and left for home.
It was almost an hour later that Elizabeth sat in her car in the hospital parking lot. She intended on camping out by her husband's room to know first hand what was going on. Meanwhile she had a decision to make as she finally pulled out her cell again and looked at the text from before. It was late but she didn't care about the time. He needed to know and Peter needed him there. She hoped they wouldn't keep this news from him as she dialed the number and heard it ring.
"I'm sorry but this is a secure line."
She was taken aback by the gruffness of the voice despite knowing she wasn't supposed to have the number. She had not anticipated getting agents but then El should have guessed Mozzie knew this.
"My name is Elizabeth Burke. I need to talk to Neal Caffrey. It's very urg..."
He interrupted her before she could finish her words, anger filling her as the sadness was converted to something that would give her strength. She had to get through for Peter's sake and Neal needed to know what happened.
"No. You cannot talk to Mr. Caffrey."
Ire filled her as she spoke back a bit more strongly than she normally would.
"My husband Agent Peter Burke has been shot and is in critical condition. They were partners. I thought he should know."
There was silence and she thought for a moment they had hung up on her, the sadness returning. Would they keep this from him? Would Kramer be so cruel as to not let Neal know that her husband, his friend and partner, had been hurt? She felt tears coming to her when there was a sigh, something soft but obviously sympathetic, the man's tone changed to a less gruff manner.
"I will pass the information on to him once Kramer has approved."
She thanked him despite herself, hanging up before he could say more as she placed the cell on the seat beside her and started to feel those tears spilling again. Her head lay on the steering wheel, body shaking as she let all the frustration about the past year wash over her. She glanced under her arm as the buzz of her cell caught her attention. El grabbed it up and glanced down to see she had a new text.
Did you get through?
It was Mozzie again, a soft smile creeping over her lips as she wiped at her eyes then answered back.
Yes but the Suits answered.
She sent the text then sent one more.
I could really use a friend.
El, pocketed the phone, grabbing up her things and moving into the hospital. Her phone buzzed a moment after and she took it out to see what it said.
Already here.
She was walking through the first floor lobby when someone was suddenly beside her, a hand gently grasping her arm as she turned and saw Mozzie there. A relieved smile met her own as they continued walking.
()()()
Neal woke up that morning early, his plan already in his head as he feverishly tried to think how to make it work. He only had one chance and if he missed it...
He sighed, pulling out the cell and sending a text to one person he could trust. Neal waited impatiently for what seemed a very long time but was probably mere minutes before the cell buzzed quietly and he saw the reply.
Doing the touristy thing. P1M sounds like a good start.
He blinked at the small monitor before texting back.
I'll be there. 2 hours.
Neal waited, feeling the buzz before the message appeared on screen.
Aye, Mon Frer!
()()()
Thirty minutes later Neal was washed, dressed and ready for work. It was early even by Kramer's standards. He opened up the door and stood there waiting for the agents outside to look up at him. One was asleep on the sofa while the other was playing solitaire at the folding table in the kitchen area. Neal waited a moment but nobody glanced up so he gave a low cough, the card playing agent turning in surprise. The man looked at his watch and blinked back.
"Aren't you a little fast on the draw, Caffrey? Kramer doesn't need you for another two hours."
Neal played it as well as he could, his look annoyed and obviously so as the man gazed back at him in confusion.
"Didn't Kramer tell you? I have to be at work earlier today. He had meetings all morning so he wanted me there early to get the current case set up."
The agent blinked up at him again but nodded as if in agreement, cleaning up the cards off the table to a neat pile as he stood, stretched and pulled on his jacket. He moved over and nudged his friend on the sofa.
"Wake up. Kramer wants Caffrey at the office earlier than scheduled."
The other man looked up and yawned, groaning slightly from the uncomfortable position he'd been in on the sofa. It didn't look comfortable to Neal but it was enough to know they'd be lacking for sleep and distracted or his plan might not carry through. The first agent approached the door, swiping his card through. They waited for the access point and anklet to beep before Neal was waved through into the main room. The second agent was already in the kitchen still yawning but making coffee. Neal moved over to the man's side and dug around in the fridge as he grabbed some yogurt and fruit. He opened up a drawer and pulled out a spoon for his breakfast as the two agents seemingly ignored him, straightening up their ties and jackets as the coffee percolated. Neal dug into the yogurt then took a bite out of the apple he'd grabbed as he moved over and sat on the sofa.
"So, anything exciting over the wire last night?"
He threw the comment out there in what seemed an innocent manner but caught the two agents off guard as one coughed, or slightly choked and the other stiffened some. There was a quick look between the two men before both shook their heads at him. In a way their actions made him realize they were feeling guilty for not telling him but the fact they didn't tell him anything was proof they weren't as sympathetic towards him as they seemed last night. He couldn't blame them being afraid of Kramer but this was beyond loyalty or fear. Neal acted nonchalant and shrugged at them with a mask of normalcy. They weren't aware he could fake them out too as he finished up the yogurt and kept up with the apple. By now the coffee was ready and three paper cups were passed around as they started for the door with the brew in hand. Agent #2 used his card to swiped them out, the delay between access point and anklet a bit longer to make sure Neal didn't run. Finally it beeped and they were on their way. Neal kept chewing on the apple the whole way, his manner anything but guilty as they finally exited the building and he tossed the core onto the sidewalk.
"Geesh! Caffrey... pick that up!"
Neal glanced nonchalantly back at the core that had just missed the trashcan but shrugged.
"It's an apple core. Natural as nature can be. Now if it were gum..."
He watched agent #1 glare at him tiredly, moving over to pick it up as agent #2 turned to watch. It was all the time he needed as he quickly took off running down the sidewalk away from the building and the two men. He was several yards away before he heard a cry, turning the corner of the block at break neck speed for him. He had a good lead as his feet flew and he ducked into a building marked "for lease." He took out the scissors he'd taken unseen from the drawer with the spoon and quickly cut the anklet, tossing it into a corner as he ran out the back end and onto a busier street. A cab was slowing down as he waved it down and slipped inside.
"Washington Monument..."
()()()
Earlier that morning...
Elizabeth watched her husband through the glass of the ICU room, her eyes never turning away even as she spoke quietly to Mozzie. She must have sat there several hours before she heard footsteps come by from her left and turned to see the nurse from earlier.
"Mrs. Burke... Visiting hours are over."
Her voice sounded both confused and sympathetic as she smiled softly at her, eyes looking at the room with Peter and then back at El again. Mozzie stiffened a bit in her presence as if she might pounce him but El calmed him as she stood and stretched, moving towards the nurse.
"I know but I didn't want him to be alone. I needed to see my husband and be near him."
El was tired but she couldn't stand not to know at this point how Peter was if it meant she would camp out in the hospital hallway. The nurse seemed to understand, looking around before motioning for her to come into the room.
"I'm on duty watching your husband at the moment. You can sit in here with him a bit while I'm here. Mum's the word."
The nurse gave her a conspiratorial glance which made her smile a bit more as she nodded and followed her inside. The soft beeping of machines helping to keep Peter alive and monitor his vital signs made her nervous but she took the proffered chair and sat holding his hand in hers. His skin was still cool to the touch but not cold, face calm despite a slight tenseness around the eyes. El hoped he wasn't feeling any pain as she quietly spoke to him, kissing him on the forehead and brushing gently at his hair. The nurse was quiet and stayed out of her way writing notes it seemed on Peter's condition before leaving her alone.
"Peter... I... I called Neal. I don't know... I don't know if they'll tell him what happened but... I left a message. If you can't wake up for my sake, wake up for his, hun."
()()()
Mozzie was surprised to watch the nurse leave El alone in the room with Peter. He had expected some authoritarian edict that his friend would have to leave her wounded husband but the nurse had been kind in a way he found curious for a government health care worker drone. Maybe there were some good people in the system although he knew that when he met the Burkes. They cared for Neal and himself despite their backgrounds and now... well now they needed their little family back together more than ever. The Su... Peter needed Neal and so did Elizabeth. He had talked to June off and on since Neal had been taken away to D.C. keeping tabs on the Burkes despite himself. He had been angry at them casting blame, but now he realized how silly he had been to separate himself from those that cared about Neal if not himself. He had caused some hurt where it was unnecessary and now he needed to help fix it.
It was late night but his phone buzzed, something he didn't expect when he had no known associates he was working with. Neal was the only one who ever contacted him this late, eyes curious to see who was on the other end. The number seemed familiar but had been out of service. Could it be...
If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
It was one quote he had found honest and truthful from a leader of this country. Something he remembered reading and had stuck with him among the many famous words of men. Only one other person knew that was his favorite as he smiled and texted back. It was a quick conversation but if he was to do as he wished and fix a wrong, Mozzie had to leave now. Elizabeth was still hovering over Peter, her body trembling with fear of the unknown but she would be ok. Everything would be ok he thought if he fixed this one thing. He left her a message, delayed so it wouldn't take her from the one thing she loved as Mozzie took his leave and vanished.
()()()
It was cold and Neal started wishing he was inside but freedom was worth more if you had to deal with a few uncomfortable moments. Cold was the least of his worries if they caught him again. He'd found some bushes to hide in near the tourist attraction phone in hand and waiting for a sign that Mozzie was showing up. An hour had already passed and for all he knew Kramer had the city on alert waiting for him. This was the worse place to be but now that it was filling up with tourists, it would be easy to hide among them once he slipped in. He hoped Mozzie brought him a change of clothing. Most of his things were at the apartment here in town and he hadn't thought to bring anything for suspicions sake. He was lucky that the agent had gone to pick up the apple core or he would have been out of luck but it was a chance he had taken.
Another thirty minutes passed before he noticed an odd sound coming from somewhere nearby and then the buzzing of his phone. Neal glanced down at the screen to see a new text.
Mockingbird...
That's when he realized the sound he heard was someone playing music and the song Yellow by Coldplay was blasting. What were the chances that was his friend as he glanced towards the sound and found Mozzie dressed as much like a tourist as could be, a yellow ascot around the little guy's neck. There was someone with a radio nearby playing that song. He couldn't help but smirk and laugh slightly before he texted back.
It's jaundice about the world as is the bush to your right.
He waited for the little guy to respond, Mozz glancing down at his phone without much expression then turning to walk casually towards him which meant he understood. Neal noticed a bag that was familiar and possibly from June as Mozzie neared him and discreetly dropped the bag where he could get it. The phone buzzed again as Mozz walked over to a bench a few yards away and sat. He glanced down and saw the reply.
The bird escapes the hunter despite his coloring.
He grinned, quickly pulling out jeans and shrugging out of his suit and into the clothes. The brush was thick enough nobody saw him or noticed his motions there in as he quietly changed, shoving the suit into the bag and pulling on some sunglasses and a ball cap over his hair as he casually walked out of the copse and made his way to Mozz. It was as if they had never met, Neal asking him the time as the con looked up with surprised that seemed genuine, glancing down at his watch.
"5 o'clock."
Neal didn't understand at first until Mozz excused himself and walked off towards what seemed to be 5 on a clock or compass face. Of course! He followed after a little bit, nobody the wiser they were together or not as he found a cab there and ducked inside. Mozzie was already in the front seat disguised as a driver.
"Where to buddy?"
()()()
It was several hours before Elizabeth left Peter's side to check on Mozz and see if there was coffee. She was exhausted from her watch but glad to be there. She felt confusion at Mozzie's disappearance, feeling a buzz from her phone suddenly as she pulled it out and saw a message from the little guy.
The Caffe here is very good.
She blinked uncertain what he meant but glad he was still around as she grabbed up her things and moved with one last look at her husband down the hallway and the elevators. It took minutes before she was on the first floor and headed towards the small commissary which luckily was still open. El looked around for Mozz finding him dressed with different clothes, a yellow ascot with small red speckles. She smiled glad to know he was still there despite everything. It had been close to five hours she'd spent with her husband talking to him and gently caressing his hair with the hope he would awaken. There had been no change to her dismay as she had finally left for a small rest. Her body was tired but she wouldn't go home until Peter had woken up. Her mind was distracted by the thought as she moved to join the little guy and found herself bumping into someone in her tiredness.
"I'm sorry, I..."
Her mouth stopped, voice caught in her throat as she felt maybe she was more tired than previously thought. This person, the man before her... it couldn't be but... He was hidden behind sunglasses despite the early hour and looked almost as exhausted as herself when their eyes met. She took his hand in hers trying not to react as she glanced around for someone watching from afar but found they weren't being observed. The area was quiet for the time of day.
"Elizabeth... George here joined me for coffee. He's just come in from out of town to see a friend."
They shook hands as if just meeting, sitting down as she tried not to act too out of character but felt faint at the revelation and all that had been going on. George seemed to notice as he helped her into her seat then sat himself.
"I... I hope I'm not intruding."
His voice was husky with exhaustion and something else there that made her think he was hesitant to relax. Elizabeth came back to herself and smiled back as she patted him on the shoulder and met his gaze through those dark glasses.
"No. Thank you... for joining us, George."
She watched his shoulders loosen up and finally his lips curled into a slight smile of relief as everyone felt the tension leave and they shared a cup of coffee in comfortable silence.
oOoOoOo
Author's Note: So can you guess who George is? (wink wink nudge nudge) Anyhow, looks like a certain someone got to where they needed. Don't think the excitement is over. Not in the least!